We plan to utilize techniques recently developed and available in our laboratory to examine in detail the effects of alcohol on the function and structure of the intestinal cell. Special emphasis will be directed to the membrane effects including (1) changes in nutrient transport (sugar and amino acid) using brush border and basolateral membrane vesicles; (2) examining the effects on membrane structure such as changes in lipid composition, membrane potential, membrane viscosity, and (3) enzymatic effects, especially on phospholipid methyltransferases. In studying these actions of alcohol, we will measure the changes produced by ethanol ( and acetaldehyde) in vitro as well as after ethanol administration or feeding in vivo. In addition we will study the effects of alcohol on the structure and function of an intestinal epithelial cell line (LEC-6), newly established and characterized in our laboratory.